


Summoners

by Kayoi1234



Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem Series
Genre: Blanket Permission, Canon-Typical Behavior, Canon-Typical Violence, Eldritch, Gen, I was considering not posting this guys but I caved, Multi, Other, Refrences to alot of other media, none of them subtle
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-01
Updated: 2019-12-13
Packaged: 2020-02-10 20:33:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 18,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18667870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kayoi1234/pseuds/Kayoi1234
Summary: Summoner | /ˈsʌmənə/(noun)Someone who summons (a person to a place)[The multiverse is a big, never ending ocean. They could of ended up with anyone.]





	1. SUBJECT K-198, (KIRAN)

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own Fire Emblem Heroes, nor any references, mentions or out right other characters that appear in this work. 
> 
> I don't know what I doing either guys but I now have a lvl 40 + 5* Ike, Lucina, Celica and Alm. I think I'm doing okay.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiran was never exactly human to begin with.

There’s a god living under Kiran’s skin.

Or, rather, there is an entity that older than the entirety of the universe living under Kiran’s skin, writhing and threatening to spill out and consume the world as it sees fit.

They are not sure what they feel about this being living within them, being the dark whispers in the corner of their mind. Kiran knows that the shadows are more drawn towards them, that cats hiss and scamper away from them like they _know_ that there is something off about them.

Nonetheless, there is a god living under Kiran’s skin. It’s been there as long as Kiran can remember.

\---

**_Eldritch | /ˈɛl(d)rɪtʃ/_ **

_(adjective)_

_1 – weird and sinister or ghostly._

_“An eldritch god lives under Kiran’s skin.”_

\---

When Kiran is summoned to the Kingdom of Askr, they simply tilt their head to the side, staring at the red-headed woman in confusion.

The red-headed woman introduces herself as Anna, the commander of the Askrian army, and she summoned them, the Great Hero of legend, to aid them in their war against Embla. She also goes off about how the mythic weapon Breidablik had chosen them.

Kiran scoffs at the title “Great Hero.” Their blood runs black as night, if not darker. There’s blood piled on their hands, murders to a god’s whims and they do not deserve to be called _hero_.

An axeman tries to take off Anna’s head, but before he can even lift the axe, a shard of pure shadow pierces through the man’s chest, blood spilling out and staining the grass. The shard sinks back into the ground, and Anna looks at Kiran, who has their arm outstretched, little wisps of black smoke rising from their fingertips.

  _“He would have killed you.”_ Kiran’s gaze says, lowering their arm. _“I just did my first natural instinct.”_

Anna blinked, and didn’t saying anything to reply.

\---

They summon Takumi, and there is a battle that ends with the enemy leader losing an arm and a leg, before they meet with Prince Alfonse of Askr.

Kiran knows there is blood splattered on their face and yet not a single wound on their body. They know that the Prince, if he is as clever with his mind as he is with a sword, then he will easily figure out that the blood is not theirs.

As they walk to meet with Alfonse’s sister, Takumi falls in step next to them and asks “Which dragon is it?”, his grip on his bow tightening as he tries to not look Kiran in the eye.

They stare at him for a minute, before whispering softly _“None of them. My body is my own.”_

\---

When they make it to the castle, Kiran run their fingers along the walls, feeling the magic that’s woven into the stone, recoiling at the taps of their fingers, recoiling at the _other_ that curls within them.

“Summoner? It’s late. Shouldn’t you get some rest?” A voice asks, and the shadows rear up behind Kiran as they turn to look at the person who spoke up.

It’s Alfonse, holding a single, burning lantern in one hand, his other resting on the hilt of his sword. They don’t blame him, they suppose. They could have been very well an intruder, or something of the sort.

The white coat that rests upon their shoulders seems a little heavier now.

 _“I’ll try and sleep now. It’s a new place, so sleeping is hard.”_ Kiran explains, letting the shadows settle back to where they belong. Then they turn, and walk off, leaving Alfonse alone with nothing except a dying lantern and the feeling of unease.

\---

When they are trapped in the World of Radiance, Kiran faces Princess Veronica, the shadows stretching, waiting for their time to strike.

“I’ll pop your head right off…Just like I used to do with my dolls.” The princess says, and Kiran notices how _lonely_ they look, and Kiran feels the shadows stretching beneath their fingertips.

A harsh bolt of pure magic lashes out at them, and-

It harmlessly shatters into a shower of sparks against a shield of darkness, the shadows writhing as Kiran gets up onto two feet, arm outstretched.

 _“I…”_ Kiran begins, lowering their arm, the shadows sinking and settling back to where they belong. They don’t kill, not when they have the gloves on. That’s their moral philosophy that they hold close to them. Keep the gloves on, and they shall never kill. _“Refuse to die.”_

Kiran feels the magic of a portal opening up behind them, the yell of a man named Zacharias yelling at them to make through the portal, so Kiran sends two tendrils of the dark to stab into the ground on the other end of the portal, and Kiran lets the two tendrils yank them back, skidding along the grass, and then the portal closes, just as abruptly as it opened.

Alfonse has a hand on their shoulder and Sharena has tackled them into a hug, thanking every deity for the fact that they’re still alive. Kiran hugs Sharena back, staring blankly at the spot where the portal was.

They decide not to say anything about Zacharias, lest they cause more confusion then they normally do.

\---

There’s an arrow buried in their shoulder after the latest scuffle with Embla, who seemed to have allied themselves with Muspell. The woman they saved earlier has already been tended to, and is now tied to the back of Eliwood’s horse to ensure that she does not fall off on their way back to the capital. However, they now need to address the arrow currently poking out of their shoulder.

How bothersome.

Kiran lets the healers gather around them, and Sakura braces a hand against their other shoulder, the other hand gripping a stick wrapped in leather. Matthew had already run off, dagger in hand, to go clean the blade in a nearby river. “W-we need to cut the arrow out, so I want you to bite down on this, okay?”

Kiran blinks, and whispers _“I don’t need it. I should be fine.”_

Sakura blinks, and mutters out a “I-if you say so…”

Matthew comes back, holding a clean dagger in one hand, holding the arrow shaft in the other. “It’s going to hurt, so are you ready?”

Kiran nods. _“Do it._ ”

The dagger makes the first cut on the right side of the arrowhead, before proceeding to the left, and then the arrow is slowly pulled out.

Not once had Kiran felt pain. They had simply sat there, blankly staring at the blood that is now running down their arm. Asama hurriedly activates a staff, healing the wound, and Kiran watches as torn muscle and ruptured blood vessels stich themselves back together, the shadows rising up and speeding the process.

Sooner or later, the Order makes it back to the castle, where the woman is immediately taken to the medical wing, and Kiran, undergoing one last check from Lucius, is sent on their way to their quarters.

\---

_“A Homunculus (Plural: Homunculi) refers to the legendary concept of an artificially created human, presumably though the means of Alchemy._

_It is a common concept throughout the alchemists in Amestris, however it is regarded as a farce of a mere fantasy as no individual or group has created such a being successfully in official records. Even if they could, alchemists have been forbidden by the Amestrian government to attempt or research the transmutation of humans and State Alchemists (ref. chap.14 “State Alchemists”) have such restriction as part of their creed._

_Despite this, during the war of 19XX, several Homunculi were spotted throughout the war, created by the singular entity known as “Father.” They were highly dangerous and were powered through the…”_

_-Amestris and Alchemy, Volume 2 by Alphonse Elric._

\---

“What’s your world like?” Alfonse asks on a spring afternoon, the two of them hiding away from Sharena and Anna by taking refuge on the roof of the barracks, the girls hellbent on putting everyone in rabbit outfits one way or the other. They were later joined by Raven, who had begun to nap on the roof itself, and Takumi, who was sitting and reading a book.

Kiran takes a moment to ponder the question, formulating the answer. _“My world,_ ” They begin, taking a breath of the clean air. _“Has no magic as you know it.”_

Alfonse furrows his brow, and begun to say something, probably about the shadows that arrive at their beck and call, but Kiran interrupts them.

 _“Not magic. Something older.”_ They say, and the shadows curl around them, twisting and turning in the rays of light. _“An old entity that’s older than the entire universe, the one that wrote the Old Laws of the world. The Creator. The World-Ender. The One who comes when you call its name. Chaos. The Void. There are many names for it. All of them are both right and wrong._ ”

Alfonse blinks, and asks “So, what’s the right name then?”

Kiran stares at Alfonse, and Alfonse feels the stares of an old go- no, _being_ \- staring past his soul, judging him with two eyes seemed to encompass the entirety of human history to one, singular moment.

_“There is none. Not in this language anyway. Or any other spoken language.”_

Alfonse blinks, and says “Alright…anything else about your world?”

Kiran chuckles, something quiet, but it’s enough to make Raven to mumble something about letting him nap in peace and Takumi to close his book in an attempt to pay more attention to Kiran’s next words.

 _“Well_ ,” Kiran says, staring up at the expansive, empty blue above them, raising a hand to filter the sunlight through their fingers. _“Let me tell you about the buildings that could scrape the sky.”_

\---

There’s a knock-on Kiran’s door, and they open the door to their quarters to reveal a sniffling Fae and Azura standing next to her, holding the other’s hand.

“Fae had a nightmare.” Azura explains, as Kiran moves out of the way to let the to girls in, softly shutting the door behind them. “She didn’t know where your room, was, so I led her here. I hope that’s alright.”

Kiran nods, and they crouch down in front of Fae, letting them be on the same eye level as the divine dragon.

 _“Want to talk about it?”_ Kiran asks, pressing a hand to the dragon’s head, stroking the hair. Azura, seeing that Fae was in good hands, walked over to the door, and pulled it open.

“I’m going to…go back. Goodnight, Kiran.” She whispered, and with that, she left, somehow dodging the attention of the night guard.

Kiran whispers a good night as Fae continues to sniffle, and finally, Fae says quietly “Had a dream that you disappeared.”

Kiran tilts their head in confusion, so Fae continues. “You gave Alfonse your gloves and you gave me your coat, and then you said how you were sorry and then you walked towards a giant army and then you said something and then you…and then you…”

The word _died_ is left unsaid, and settles on the room like a thick, suffocating blanket.

Kiran knows what Fae is talking about. There’s a second level of their power over shadows, activated through either blind rage or certain words. They had called it Corruption, likening it to the gravity manipulation of a certain character from that specific manga series.

Kiran had opened their arms up, an invitation for a hug that Fae gladly accepted, rushing into their arms and gripping onto them like they would disappear like in their nightmare.

Kiran doesn’t have the heart to tell them that the dream could have been true, or that they promise to not die.

So instead, they hug Fae a little tighter and whisper _“I’m sorry,”_ into the night.

\---

 _“…the final form of ‘ **For the Tainted Sorrow’**_ _is named **‘Corruption’**. It is considered the true form of Nakahara-san’s ability, and is exceedingly dangerous. It is activated by the following verse:_

_‘Oh, grantors of the dark disgrace, Do not wake me again.’_

_Corruption seems to stem from Nakahara-san’s origins of the entity Arahabaki, a god of immense destructive power. When Nakahara-san releases his stability over said powers, Corruption takes over, reverting Nakahara-san to his true, uncontrollable nature of a mindless source of destruction. The only known way to stop Corruption is the Ability ‘ **No Longer Human’** , which is held by Dazai Osamu. Corruption was used several times throughout Yokohama’s history, the most prominent being… ”_

_-The History of Ability Users by Ango Sakaguchi._

_(Translated into English by unknown.)_

\---

 _“Damn”_ they mutter, as they dive into a shadow and pop out into the tree line to avoid a fireball being slung their way. They immediately sprint back to the main army, sliding back next to the rest of the heroes as they stare at the carnage that Sutur had wrought.

The mages prepare another round of fire magic to launch at them, and it takes all of Kiran’s concentration to dodge the next round of fireballs.  Sutur laughs, something that chills you to the bone despite the fire seeping out of his axe.

They’re outnumbered, and Kiran bites their lip in frustration.

They turn to look at Fae, who argued their way into coming with the rest of them despite Kiran telling them that they shouldn’t, had widened her eyes in understanding and latched onto Kiran’s leg.

“Please,” she pleads, burying her face into Kiran’s pant leg. “Please, don’t go.”

Kiran pats Fae on the head, removing their white coat and placing it around Fae’s shoulders. “ _I’m sorry Fae. But If we want everyone to escape alive, then I need to do this.”_

Fae sniffles, clutching Kiran’s leg a little tighter. “No, I don’t want you to-”

Kiran interrupts her by slowly detaching her from their leg and holding up a pinkie. “ _I promise that I’ll live, okay?_ ”

Fae sniffles and wraps her pinkie around Kiran’s, moving it up and down once, before Kiran stands up straight and peels off their gloves, revealing bruises and scars forming a lattice across their hands.

They press the gloves and Breidablik into Alfonse’s hands, and murmur quietly _“I’m sorry.”_

Then, they turn towards Sutur and his expansive army, take a deep breath of the cold Nifil air, and walk forward, fists balled up tight in their hands.

 _“Raise your blades against the sun,”_ they begin, staring up at Sutur, feeling the marks of Corruption _,_ form along their arms, feeling their mind already slipping away, feeling the shadows curl around them, ready and waiting at their beck and call. _“For it shall not wake again.”_

\---

_“Kiran!”_

_“Quick, someone heal them!”_

_“Oh gods, that’s so much blood…”_

_“By Naga, are they going to die?”_

_“Stand back, let me take over NOW.”_

_“Kiran, please, wake up.”_

_“Wake up! Please!”_

_“_ It is not your time to die.”

\---

When Kiran wakes up, which that itself is a surprise, they awake to birdsong and the repetitive sound of a whetstone grinding against metal. They sit up, pressing a hand to their head, and take in their surroundings. Sitting next to them, on the ground, is Fir, staring intently at her sword. She looks up, makes a startled sort of noise, and then runs towards the entrance of the cave, yelling out “Guys! They’re awake!”

Kiran is immediately tackled by a sobbing Fae, and Alfonse passes back their gloves, which they gratefully take and slip back onto their hands, Fae still has Kiran’s coat around her shoulders, and Kiran wraps their arms around her as they look at the rest of the gathered heroes.

 _“What happened?”_  They ask, voice hoarse, rubbing small circles in Fae’s back.

“Well, after you said those words,” Celica begins, resting a hand on her sword. “You started screaming.”

That would explain the sore throat then. It doesn’t explain how they’re still alive.

“And then you proceeded to wipe out half of the Muspellian foces.” Raven bluntly states, pausing once to rub at his nose. “You…had this wild look in your eyes, like you weren’t really yourself.”

“Some point during your…ah…. _rampage_ ,” Odin says, discarding the theatrics for once, “You started to cough up blood.”

“There was a lot of blood.” Soliel pipes up, twisting a lock of pink hair between her fingers.

“Then I knocked you out with a high-strength sleep spell.” Lucius says, one hand tightening its grip around his staff, the other reaching out to grab Raven’s hand, lacing their fingers together. “You collapsed into the snow, but not without vomiting up a mix of blood and bile onto the ground first.”

“We made camp here. Oscar lent his horse to carry you here, where the healers began their work.” Celica finishes off, bringing her arms to wrap around her waist. “By Mila’s grace Kiran, we thought you were going to _die_.”

Kiran wrings their gloved hands together, taking slow, deep breaths. _“I apologise.”_

Roy crouches next to them, placing a hand on their shoulder. “Don’t. We just want an explanation.”

Kiran takes a deep breath, quietly tells Fae to let go and let them sit on their lap, and then begins to explain.

They explain how there is a god, older than the universe itself, that lives under their skin, with the power to control the shadows of the world. They explain Corruption, and how there is a certain set of words that activates it. They explain what Kiran _exactly_ is. That they were a lab experiment that broke out of their cage and was living alone for the rest of their life. That even if they did have parents, they wouldn’t even remember.

There is a moment of silence, and Kiran shrinks in on themselves, not meeting anyone’s gazes.

Then, slowly, Eliwood kneels down, so that he is eye level with Kiran, and Fae, recognising what is happening, scrambles out of Kiran’s lap as Eliwood envelops Kiran in a hug.

Kiran feels tears well up at the corner of their eyes and _oh, this is what having a father is like_ , and they can feel their arms reach up to hug Eliwood back, and then Roy joins in and so does Liliana and then Ike places a hand in their hair and then Lucina has a hand on a shoulder and then Kiran is openly crying for the first time in years, and the shadows, for once, do not move with their emotions.

\---

**_DAZAI:_ ** _**“** Did seeing that father and son make you feel sad?”_

**_ATSUSHI: “_ ** _I don’t really feel anything. To me, it looks like a culture from a different planet.”_

_-Bungou Stray Dogs, Chapter 39,  “Portrait of a Father”_

\---

When they storm Hel, they meet the Queen herself, and she recoils at the sight of Kiran, who’s every step send puffs of black smoke into the air, before they stand in front of the queen of Hel herself, and the shadows curl around them, waiting for their chance to strike.

 _“Hel. Death. Many names for a singular concept.”_ They say, standing front of the Order of Heroes, despite the other’s protests.

“Chaos. The Void. The one that comes when you speak its name. A very strange assortment of names for the one that is older than the universe itself.” Hel replies back, eyes unblinking as they stare Kiran down.

Kiran’s head tilts to the side, as if assessing the response. _“Perhaps. Still older than you though.”_

Hel’s features flare up in anger, if only for a moment, before immediately calming. “Perhaps. But nobody fears you. Nobody _worships_ you. You have no place in this world.”

Kiran gazes at Hel and whispers, almost inaudible _“We are the ones who wrote the Old Laws. You cannot curse me, and you cannot curse those under my protection.”_

“Oh?” Hel asks, intrigued. Kiran knows that the two of them are bound the Old Laws much as any other entity that existed, both the law maker and the one who is bound to them. “And who is under your protection?”

Kiran’s gaze hardens, and they gesture to all the heroes behind them, daring Hel to challenge them. _“All of them, from the youngest child to the oldest dragon, they are under my protection. You have no right in cursing them.”_

Hel placed he head in the palm of a hand, and gazed down at Kiran’s expression. “And what if I decide to disregard the Old Laws and curse them anyway?”

_“Then you seek battle with one of the Great Old Ones.”_

Hel lifted an eyebrow and laughed, the sound cold and grating against the other heroes’ ears. “A battle, with a Great Old One? I thought they do not battle anymore. That they had been reduced to sleeping bastions, abandoned by age and time itself.”

 _“Then what am I?”_ Kiran asked, the shadows rising up behind them, taking shape of a creature that seemed to be a mix of a cat and a hound, it’s tail flicking behind them, wings pressed against its body. Where paws should be are instead giant bird like claws. The beast is made entirely of shadow except for its eyes, two red orbs of light that shine within. _“There was a time they called me the Last Guardian, and that title still is relevant today.”_

“Why do you defend them? They are only human. Once they die, they belong to me. So why place them under your protection?”

_“Because I’m the idiot that decided to protect them! Because they became the family that I never had the chance to experience until now!”_

Hel huffed, and then waved a hand away. “Fine. Keep your little pets. They’ll meet me again another day.” She then turned to the woman standing next to her, looking down at the floor. “Eir. Escort them out.”

 Eir whispers a “Yes mother,” and leads them away from the throne where the Queen of Hel rests.


	2. The Aurora Pokémon (ECLAT)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For Eclat, they suppose they have been searching for it for a very long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is basically a pokemon crossover guys I'm a failure to society.

There’s a memory that stubbornly stays out of reach in Eclat’s mind.

It sits at the back of their minds, annoyingly out of reach. It’s just _right there_ but no matter how hard Eclat tries, they cannot even brush against the memory. So, it sits there, a memory that refuses to be seen.

However, when they get close enough, the memory has the feelings of burning, of rain, of a bird with red and gold plumage, swooping down with fire and flame, and the smell of ash and burnt wood ever so prevalent in the air.

The memory is still out of reach, but with enough persistence, and enough reach, it’ll come within grasp.

\---

**_Aurora | /ɔːˈrɔːrə/_ **

_(noun)_

_1 - a natural electrical phenomenon characterized by the appearance of streamers of reddish or greenish light in the sky, especially near the northern or southern magnetic pole._

_2 – [LITERARY] The dawn_

_“_______ is known as the Aurora Pokémon.”_

\---

When Eclat is summoned into the World of Zenith, their eyes land the red hair of a woman with the axe, and a memory slips, something reminding them of fire and flames and a region where a legendary bird soars through the skies, leaving good fortune and harmony throughout.

What was it called? __-__?

The blank is still there, stubbornly not taking the words they are trying to force into the spaces, refusing to let Eclat remember who they are, _what_ they are, and so it remains, the name of the bird with the brilliant red and gold feathers lost to Eclat and Eclat alone.

“My name is Anna, commander of the Askrian army,” the woman begins, handing Eclat a white cloak like robe and a gun-like object. “You, Great Hero, have been chosen by the divine weapon Breidablik. Please, for the wellbeing of Askr and all the other worlds, we ask that you take up the weapon so that our world may be saved.”

Eclat, not saying anything, holds Breidablik, keeping a finger off the trigger, and stares down the white-gold barrel of the weapon.  A thought surfaces of how much it would actually hurt to shoot someone with it.

They muse that it wouldn’t be that painful at all.

An axeman comes charging out of the underbrush, swinging his axe in a large arc towards Anna’s head, and Anna ducks and swings her axe to swipe at the axeman’s chest, before spinning on her heel and beheading him in one fell swoop.

The head rolls on the floor, coming to a stop before Eclat’s feet. A puddle of rain water is hit with the blood that is gushing from his neck, dying the water an ugly red. Anna moves the axe back across her shoulder, the silver blade covered in crimson, and turns to Eclat. “Shall we?”

Eclat nods, and gets up onto two shaky legs, and walks towards Anna, but not before brushing their fingers across the rain puddle’s surface, purging the red from the water.

\---

Prince Alfonse, when Eclat first meets him, is a man who has suffered for too long.

Eclat can tell, by the way the prince holds himself, eyes constantly shifting to try and catch danger before it arrives, how he always keeps a hand on the hilt of his sword, back straight, shoulders back, constantly on a hair’s trigger to swing his sword at the enemy.

This is how a solider holds themselves.

Eclat thinks, when they first meet the Prince of Askr, that the man standing in front of them does not carry himself like a prince.

He carries himself like a solider.

\---

A castle has walls, and the walls feel like they’re closing in on Eclat, suffocating them within the four barriers to the rest of the world, choking them until they are unable to breathe. The air in the quarters assigned to them is thick like mud, forcing itself down their throat, causing to cough and gag into the empty dark of the room.

They open the window, and the cold blast of air that hits them feels like a lifesaver, bringing the scent of water and the promise of rain. Their hands tighten on the windowsill as they stare out into the night, watching how the wind blows the grass, how the moonlight casts its silvery glow on the landscape.

They stare up at the moon, taking in its details, every crater and crack that runs along it’s surface, caused by thousands and thousands of meteors and comets that have come crashing into its surface. But what did the meteors carry with them?

What did the meteors carry with them? What did they-

Ah. There it is. The memory is unlocked, if only for a bit, but it is enough for a sizeable amount of information to seep out, giving Eclat the knowledge they need.

Meteors carried Clefaries. Meteorites were Lunatones and Solrocks. Minor were seen as meteors that could go back home. Staryu and Starmie communicated with the stars. Elgyem appeared in crash sites in the desert.

Rayquaza came to the Earth in times of crisis or disaster. Deoxys rode meteors down to the ground.

Mew was the ancestor to all Pokémon.

Eclat stared up at the night sky, drinking in the inky blue-black of the great sky, watching the stars and how they made constellations that Eclat could not recognise.

Were they from space too?

They suppose not. A memory makes itself known, of a forest lake and a four-legged creature standing in the centre, the slightest ripples making itself known on the surface, the impurities and contamination purging from the water.

If they aren’t from space, then where are they from?

\---

_“…comparison to the three legendary birds of Kanto (Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres), the three legendary beasts of Johto are said to roam the lands of the region._

_The beasts find a master in Ho-Oh, who was the one who revived them when the Brass Tower Fire of Ecruteak City had killed them. They are said to embody the three events that had happened to the tower. Raikou is the lightning that struck the tower, Entei is the fire that burned the tower, and Suicune is the winds and rain that had put the fire out. It is unknown whether the three Legendary Beasts were already legendaries when they had perished, or if they were perhaps normal Pokémon that had been revived into the legendary beasts by Ho-Oh._

_A popular theory is that…”_

_-The Legends of Johto, by Professor Silktree and Professor Hale_

\---

The portal back to the World of Zenith closes before Eclat can make it through.

They turn their head, looking at the Princess of Embla standing behind them, her hand outstretched, crackling with magic, the other hand clutching a tome to her chest.

She talks about how she’ll kill Eclat, something about sending them back to Askr in a box, their head detached from their body, and Eclat takes a step back, frowning.

They don’t say anything, because speaking is something that they have not done for as long as they have been alive, but they step back, hands shooting behind them to find glass and wood.

It’s a window, one of the many keep windows that the building had. They jab an elbow against the glass, which doesn’t crack but the wood gives for just a moment. They pick up the noise of a bolt of _something_ sailing for their head, so they duck down, letting it crack the glass.

Eclat shoots back up, ram their elbow into the glass, and ignoring the broken glass that cuts into their palms, they bring up a foot onto the window sill, give a wave to Veronica, and jump.

The feeling of free-falling, with the wind rushing past their ears is almost freeing, before they grab onto the window sill below and they feel their arm get ripped out of its socket, the force of grabbing the window sill dislocating their shoulder. They reach up with their good arm, pulling themselves up and through the window, landing in the floor of the room. Pressing themselves against the wall, they gingerly prod their shoulder.

It’s definitely dislocated, and they don’t dare try to reset their shoulder, lest they make it worse.

That’s when someone bursts into the room. It’s the masked man from earlier, who stares at Eclat, before kneeling down next to them, and taking up Eclat’s arm in his hand.

“Can I reset this?” He asks, bracing another hand against Eclat’s good shoulder.

Eclat nods, and the man says on the count of three. He actually resets it on one, and Eclat hisses in pain but doesn’t make any other noises. The man lets go of Eclat’s arm, standing up and pulling Eclat up by their good arm, letting them stand on their own when the man is satisfied that Eclat won’t fall over.

A portal opens, and the masked man jerks his head towards the portal. “It’ll take you back.”

Eclat doesn’t make a move, and instead just stares at the masked man.

The man looks back, and says “I’m Zacharias, if that helps.”

Eclat makes a quiet “Oh,” in surprise, and then walks towards the portal.

“Um, don’t…don’t tell the siblings about this.” Zacharias says, running his fingers along the edges of his mask. “I don’t want them to hope for anything.”

Eclat tilts their head, a visible question of _“Why?”_

Zacarias sighs, and his hand falls, falling back to his sides. “Because, I don’t have much longer to live. I’m trying to find a cure but…”

Eclat taps a hand against Zacharias’s chest, letting the blood that curses him to recoil at their touch. They raise their eyebrows, a silent question of _“Do you feel better when I do this?”_

Zacharias nods, his face bewildered as he feels a weight just lift up for the second that Eclat left their hand on him.

Then they turn, and walk into the portal, storing the little nugget of information away.

\---

A secret comes to light in the worse way possible.

When Zachar – no, _Prince Bruno_ – is defeated, he kneels, defeated on the ground, gloating about how he had killed Zacharias, and is goading Alfonse into killing him.

It’s clearly working, seeing how Alfonse’s hand tightens around his sword, his arm trembling. Eclat locks eyes with Bruno, and they narrow their eyes as they push forward and slam a hand onto their shoulder, forcing them to stop talking.

Bruno head sways, and then Zacharias takes over, pressing a hand to his head. “Eclat? What…are you doing?” he says when he looks up, and Eclat’s face is impassive as they tilt their head in the Askrian siblings’ direction.

The action communicates one word across. _“Explain.”_

So, Zacharias takes a deep breath, exhales slowly, and begins to explain.

\---

When they beat back Muspell from the border town, there’s a cry of alarm and they rush over, standing to see a group of people at a lake’s edge, staring in shock or confusion.

“The lake! It’s…been filled with ash!” one of the townspeople cries, and Alfonse, Shareena and Anna walk off to the side in order to discuss what to do about the lake, and how to remedy the fact that the town doesn’t have an easy access to fresh water anymore. Eclat tunes out, crouching next to the lake that has turned a sickly shade of grey, clumps of ash forming on the shoreline.

They reach out a hand slowly, their gloved hands brushing against the still surface of the lake.

A ripple, a ring of light, expands, small but meaningful, purifying the water for a second before the ash water flows into the pure water, contaminating it once again.

Eclat stares out at the surface of the lake, gears turning in their mind. A memory surfaces, one filled with blue paws and a bound that purified water at a single touch. A memory of the Aurora, of the rain that put out that fire all those years ago, a memory of…a lake, in a forest.

A dying fairy, brought back from brink of death.

Then it is like a tidal wave of memories that had been locked away suddenly bursting out, letting them relive their life in a span of a second. Of being a legendary beast, of Entei and Raikou, of Ho-Oh, of Lugia, of Celebi, of the burning brass tower and everything that had happened to them over the span of many, many years that had been locked away.

They take off their boots, setting them aside, and stuffing their socks inside them. They peel off their gloves, and then their coat, setting Breidablik under the coat. They roll up their pants, push up their sleeves, before wading into the lake.

There’s a cry, someone yelling for them to stop, but Eclat is deaf to those pleas as they wade out further, the water brushing against the bottom of their rolled-up pants. The water is rippling, a constant battle between the clear water and the ashy grey that keeps fighting, trying to gain the advantage over the other.

Eclat breathes, and walks further. They feel their limbs elongating, a voice questioning if they were laguz, their face turning into a snout and muzzle, becoming a four legged creature from their dreams, and the next step is on the _surface_ of the water, and here they stand, proud and sure,  turning to stare at the assembled townspeople and heroes on the lake shore.

There, they roar, letting the power of rain and wind settle back like a familiar dance partner, and jump.

\---

**_National PokéDex Entry No. 245_ **

_Suicune (_ _スイクン)_

_The Aurora Pokémon_

_“Suicune embodies the compassion of a pure spring of water. It runs across the land with gracefulness. This Pokémon has the power to purify dirty water. It’s said to be a reincarnation of the North Wind.”_

__\---

When the heroes ask what they were, what was the creature that had purified an entire lake, Eclat had only smiled, and wrote down their true name onto a piece of paper.

“Suicune?” Alfonse had read, staring down at the paper with scrutiny. “Is that’s what it’s called?”

Eclat nods, and writes down another factoid about themselves.

“There’s only one of you!?” Alfonse exclaims, and Eclat nods. “Is your species going extinct?”

Eclat shakes their head, and writes down their response.

“Oh, so that’s how it’s supposed to be, huh?” Alfonse ponders, bringing a hand up to rest his chin upon. “That’s…well…interesting, to say the least. Transforming into that though…who would have thought…”

Alfonse feels a tap on their hand, and another slip of paper being pressed into his palm.

“You…transformed _back_? As in…Suicune is your original form?”

Eclat nods.

Alfonse blinks, and returns to Eclat’s messy handwriting. He squints at the lettering for a few more minutes, mouth moving silently, before he looks up to ask Eclat another question.

Well, Alfonse would have asked, but Eclat by that point had already fallen asleep.

\---

It’s raining, and Eclat is visiting the town for a fresh ink block, due to the castle not having the colour they needed.

Well, was. Now they’re standing under the awning of a store, listening to the _tap-tap-tap_ of the raindrops hitting the wax-covered canvas, and how the rain sounds like a familiar song and dance to their ears.

They said they would be back at the castle 10 minutes ago, but Eclat thinks that they can spend some time watching the rain. There’s an urge to go dance in the rain as well, stepping ever so lightly on the puddles and wet stone. They reach a hand out to the torrent of water that falls from the sky, watching how the drops of water falls onto their hands, collecting in their palms before running down the side and falling to the floor.

They hug the paper bag closer to their body, prop their hood up, and step into the rain, not minding how the water soaks their clothes and how they most likely will have to drain the water out of their boots.

They’re in no rush today, so they take their time, walking through the rain, letting the water settle on their body like an old friend.

\---

When they storm Muspell, Eclat freezes at the sight of Laegjarn who is _screaming_ as the flames of Muspell consume her, eating away at flesh and bone and by Arceus the image is _wrong_. They watch as skin and flesh turn black before crumbling away, and Eclat looks away as Laegjarn lets out another scream and they feel their body shift, bones sliding into place, the white streamers flowing beside their head as they rest all four limbs onto the grounds of the castle.

They take one, slow singular step towards Laegjarn, and then another, and they let the light form in their mouth, the ball of multicoloured light forming in their jaw that shoots a beam at Laegjarn, freezing the ground beneath her, ice forming a flat surface as the flame quench themselves at the cold, and she falls to the icy floor, curled up in pain.

Eclat doesn’t shift back, and instead, watches as Fjorm and Laegjarn exchange words, and Eclat can hear Laegjarn’s last, shuddering breath as her heart beat slows and blood begins to stop flowing to her brain. It ends when Laegjarn finally closes her eyes, finally at peace, and Fjorm steps back, while Eclat pushes their way to her side, pushing their head in such a way into Fjorm’s arms so that she can bury her face into Eclat’s purple mane and cry.

\---

When Surtur dies, there is no eruption of flames, no earth breaking yells, nothing that effects the world order as they know it.

Surtur dies like any other man when Prince Hirid swings his sword through Surtur’s neck, beheading him, and like that, the body pitches forward, slumping on the stairs, as his head rolls until stops right at Eclat’s feet.

Eclat stares at the head, seeing the now dead gaze of a tyrant stare back at them, and with that, Eclat kicks the head into a nearby lava pool, and watches as it burns in the molten stone, never to be seen again.

\---

_"Suicune... How brave it is! How refreshing it is! How beautiful it is! And how quickly it moves! <Player>, you seem to be around where Suicune would appear. Well, that's OK. My desire to search for Suicune is far beyond yours... My grandpa was...quite into myths. I've heard so many stories about Suicune from him. Suicune... I won't stop following you until I've found out what you're after...you hear me!"_

_-Eusine, Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver_


	3. Children who are born of the bush. (LUX)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Children are our future, so what does that mean for Lux?

For Lux, the world hadn’t ended for them yet.

Well, of course it hadn’t, they were 8 years old, still clinging to the legs of their parents, before falling down that dark ditch in the cow pasture. They had sat at the bottom, waiting for someone to come and rescue them, and at some point during their waiting, they had fallen asleep. They had dreamt of the storm, and how they used to be one, but of course, being 8, they had no idea what that means.

Lux doesn’t know that their parents found them, clutching the broken hilt of a sword at the bottom of a ditch, but children are our future, so what does that mean for Lux?

\---

**_Poker | /ˈpəʊkə/_ **

_(noun)_

_1 – A metal rod with a handle, used for prodding and stirring an open fire._

_2 – a card game played by two or more people who bet on the value of the hands dealt to them. A player wins the pool either by having the highest combination at the showdown or by forcing all opponents to concede without a showing of the hand, sometimes by means of bluff._

_“For an 8-year-old, Lux was very good at poker.”_

\---

When Lux saw the lady with the red hair and the big axe, they had shrunken back, the old age lesson of _stranger danger_ taking over their instincts, and they stare with big eyes at the lady.

“Oh…oh no…” the lady says, and she crouches down to be eyelevel with Lux, the axe dropping to the ground next to her. “Oh by the dragons, when I asked for a hero, I didn’t mean…”

Lux stares at her with big eyes, and the lady sighs, and reaches out a hand. “My name is Anna, and I’m a commander for the Askrian Army. I was calling for help with the help of a divine weapon, but instead…”

“I came instead.” Lux finishes for her, before shaking her hand. “My name is Lux! I’m 8!”

There’s a yell, and a man comes charging out of the underbrush, an axe raised high, and Anna has her axe in one hand and ushering Lux behind her with another, and the man suddenly freezes, his axe slipping out of his grasp and onto the ground.

“Is that…” The man begins, and he steps back, tripping over his own axe as he tries to hurry away. “I don’t kill kids, I don’t kill kids…” he chants, scrambling away until he isn’t seen again.

Lux clutched Anna’s hand tighter as she gives them a divine weapon that looked a little bit like dad’s pistol, and the two of them make their way towards the prince of Askr.

\---

When Lux summons Takumi, Takumi does a double take before firing an arrow at the knee of an approaching solider, and he turns and crouches down in front of Lux, scanning them over for injuries.

“You alright there?” Takumi asks, standing back up when he’s satisfied that Lux doesn’t seem hurt.

Lux nods, and says “I’m fine mister!”

Takumi gives a small smile, and ruffles Lux’s hair. “I’m Takumi. Nice to meet you.”

\---

Lux can’t sleep.

It’s been hours since the “lights out” command was given out, and Lux should have been asleep.

But the bed is too big, and the room smells weird and they can’t just go down the hall to find their parents because their parents aren’t here. They’re used to the sound of the farm animals and nocturnal creatures making noises at night, but this time, it’s just…quiet.

Lux doesn’t like it.

So, as quietly as they can, they slip on their boots that were lent to them by Alfonse, and slowly open the door.

Lux peers down the hall, before making their way slowly to the kitchens. They remember how to get there, but only because it’s only a floor down and to the right of the stairs.

\---

There’s someone in the kitchen. It’s one of the other heroes that Lux summoned, Oscar, the lancer who also had a _really big_ horse which Lux thought was cool.

Oscar pauses in his stirring of the pot, and turn to see Lux, standing with a hand on the door, another preoccupied with worrying the edge of their sleeve. “Lux? What are you doing up? It’s late.”

Lux looks at the floor, scuffing the stones with their foot. They mumble something unintelligible, and Oscar turns off the heat for the pot before crouching in front of Lux and smoothing out their rumpled sweater.

“I didn’t hear what you said there buddy. Can you repeat that for me?”

“Can’t sleep. Wanna go home…” Lux mumbles again, and Oscar frowns before scooping up Lux in their arms and placing them on a stool at the kitchen counter.

“Then I think I have the perfect solution for that.” Oscar says, turning back to the pot and picking it up. “I was making hot chocolate and maybe I made too much of it. Would you like some?”

Lux nods, and Oscar hums as he pours some of the warm drink into a clean mug before handing it to Lux, who blows on the surface of the liquid before taking a sip. “It’s really nice Mister!”

“Please, Mister was my father.” Oscar says teasingly, taking a seat next to Lux with a mug of his own. “Call me Oscar, alright?”

Lux nods, and takes another sip. Oscar drums his fingers against the table, thinking for a moment before looking at Lux. “Say, Lux. Who’s your favourite hero?”

Lux blinks for a moment, and grins. “My favourite is Spider-Man! He can stick to walls and shoot webs out of his hands and he’s super-duper strong!”

Oscar raises an eyebrow, and ruffles Lux’s hair, not saying that his question was actually limited to Askr, but who cares at this point. “That’s a pretty cool hero Lux. Say, finish up your hot chocolate, and I’ll take you riding tomorrow. But only _if_ you go to sleep, alright?”

Lux’s grin gets wider, and then says “Okay! But only if you sleep too Oscar!”

Oscar ruffles Lux’s hair, and says “Alright, I promise.”

\---

_“Spider-Man is a vigilante that hails from New York, and to be more specific, Queens. They are classified as a small-time hero, only appearing to fight crime in a small area of New York City, leaving areas such as Hell’s Kitchen to those like Daredevil._

_Despite this, Spider-Man has been seen working with the Avengers at a few battles, the more noticeable being the fight against the Mad Titan Thanos as well as the Avenger’s “Civil War” in Germany. For both battles, it is worth noting that Tony Stark (Also known as Iron-Man) were one of the catalysts for Spider-Man’s attendance to both of these battles._

_This raises concerns as it has been observed…”_

_~Heroes of New York by Steve Ditko_

\---

Lux freezes up as they skid to a stop where the portal out of the world they are in disappears.

They turn slowly, seeing the princess from earlier gathering magic in their hand, whipping their arm forward as the magic scatters, and Lux ducks behind a pile of crates and curls up as they muffle their screams with a hand.

“Where are you little summoner…” the princess coos, and Lux shoves themselves further into the wood, feeling tears prick at the corners of their eyes. They’re reminded of the time when they were watching Jurassic Park with their uncle, and the part where the dinosaurs were in the kitchen, trying to find the people hidden in there.

This is the exact same thing happening here. So Lux presses against the wood, and tries their hardest not to be noticed. They hear a pause in the princess’s footsteps, and Lux’s breath hitches as she seems to spin on the spot before continuing to pace around the room, and Lux can hear the crackling of magic as they hold a hand over their mouth.

Suddenly, Lux hears a voice speak out, a voice that wraps around him like a blanket, and it says, really quietly: _“Hi. My name is Zacharias. Can you do something for me buddy? I just need you to look at your feet alright? The portal is going to open up beneath you, and all you need to do is drop. Can you do that for me buddy?”_

Lux gives a fearful nod, uncertain of what’s happening.

_“Thanks a lot little guy. Opening in 3, 2, 1…”_

There’s a spark at their feet, and they stare to see a portal open up and swallow them whole, dumping them right on top of Shareena. Shareena makes a startled noise, but nonetheless hugs Lux close.  

Lux, right then and there, starts crying.

\---

Lux sits on the divider between the stables, swinging his legs as he watches Roderick brush down his horse, a hand holding a carrot to the horse’s mouth, the other pulling a brush carefully through it’s coat.

“Now remember Lux,” Roderick says, brushing another hand through his horse’s mane. “Horses are constantly fickle creatures.”

Lux nods, hands clenched on the wooden panelling they sit on, listening with rapt attention.

“You have to be careful with horses,” Roderick continues, putting the brush back in the bucket picking up a thick blanket. “One wrong move, and you could get thrown off. Or kicked. And horse kicks have the power to break bones.”

“I know that,” Lux argues, pouting. “I’m from a farm in Australia. I know what horses can do. I know what brumbies can do. One wild horse is bad, but a whole herd is worse.”

Roderick raises an eyebrow. “And why would that be?” he asks, leaning against the divider.

Lux sucks in a breath. “My mum told me the reason once. She said that ‘A herd of brumbies is the last thing you want to see on a hike. Unlike horses that had been tamed, a herd will always be like a cyclone, unpredictable and dangerous.’ She always told me that if I see a herd of them, that I head into the bush and climb a tree. Or get to the other side of a billabong.”

“And why should you do that?” Roderick asks, watching Lux.

Lux grins. “Horses can’t climb trees. And billabongs are where the bunyips live.”

\---

When Muspell sets the forest alight, Lux can no longer breathe.

It’s not the smoke. Lux had choked on smoke before, the cloud filling their lungs and making it hard to breathe. It’s the heat, the fire, the way the flowers of red and gold climb the vegetation higher and higher, consuming everything in it’s path. And while Lux watches, Lux regresses to that time barely a year ago.

There had been a bushfire. There had been a bushfire on a scale so large, that when Lux was out with their cousin, hunting bugs, the crackling and wave of heat had hit them first, and their cousin had sworn, saying something about _“It’s summer, of course it is,”_ and then he had grabbed Lux’s hand and told them to not let go, and they had run through the bush, stumbling ever so often, and the edge of the bush had been in sight, but a huge flaming tree had fallen and the fire has caught up and their cousin said _“Stay strong Lux_ ” and had picked them up and thrown them over the log.

They cleared it, and when Lux had gotten up, choking on smoke, their cousin was gone and a fire-fighter with a bottle of water pulled them away from the flames and told them “ _I’m sorry_ ”

Lux had cried, choking on the smoke filled air and their own sobs, and when their cousin’s corpse had been found, it had been burnt so bad that identification was nearly impossible.

Lux is regressing now, freezing at the sight of a fire that continues consume the dry vegetation, and all Lux can think is _bushfire._

Then, there is a grounding hand on their shoulder, and Lux turns to see Celica, her sword drawn and covered in blood, her armour cracked, and yet she has concern all over her face, crouching down to meet Lux’s eyes.

“Are you alright Lux?” She asks, voice full of warmth but Lux can’t _breathe_.

“Bushfire…there’s a bushfire…please” Lux says, choking.

Celica narrows her eyes, and sheathes her sword. “Can I carry you? I’m going to get you back to the healers, okay?”

Lux nods, numb, and Celica sets the child on her back and _runs_.

\---

When they storm Surtur’s castle, it is Lux that pulls the trigger but it was Lyn who aimed their arm to shooting Surtur in the eye.

Lux had their eyes closed. Fire is still fire, and the heat of Muspell was reminding them of hot summer days on the farm, and the rising threat of bushfire season.

Memories of a different time, they think.

\---

_“Up to 800 people have been told to leave their homes in Deepwater and Baffle Creek immediately as a "dangerous and unpredictable" bushfire bears down on their communities._

_Firefighters and police have been doorknocking in the communities north of Bundaberg since midday on Sunday, warning locals of the ongoing threat._

_At least one home has already been lost and authorities expect the fire, which is 50 kilometres long, to burn for days._

_Speaking from Emergency Management Queensland in Brisbane, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the size of the fire was causing problems for crews._

_"The intensity of this fire covers some 9,000 hectares, and the flames are more than 10 to 12 metres high," Ms Palaszczuk said.”_

_~”Queensland bushfire sparks warning for people in Deepwater and Baffle Creek to 'evacuate immediately'” by Patrick Williams (ABC News, 2018)_

\---

When Surtur’s head rolls across the ground, Lux blanches, freezing at the sight of two unseeing eyes staring up at them. They immediately turn and bury their face into Kaze’s legs, shuddering as they take in uneasy breaths of air.

Kaze places a hand on Lux’s head in attempt to soothe him as he thinks back to his own daughter.

Children have no place in war, but yet here is Lux, buried into his leg. Here is Fae, eyes wide as they curls their fingers into Tiki’s hand. Here is Ophelia, who is not stranger to war and death, but yet she grabs her father’s hand like a lifeline. Here is Soliel, who wraps her arms around her self and presses into Oliva’s side.

Kaze grimaces, and so does Corrin, his hand on his sword tightening as he attempts to calm Kana.

Most of the children here have witnessed, or even caused death. But the head of a Tyrant staring up at them is unsettling, even for the adults.

\---

When Lux meets King Gustav for the first time, they take to hiding under Alfonse’s cape, behind his leg, big eyes staring up at the man with the imposing axe.

“Alfonse,” Gustav says, eyes narrowing. “Who might this child be?”

“This is Lux, father. They’re…well…” Alfonse begins, and looks down at Lux.

“Do I show him the gun?” Lux asks, staring at Alfonse now.

Alfonse nods, so Lux pulls the gun from the folds of their cloak and show it to the king.

“You…You’re the legendary Great Hero in the ancient tales?” Gustav asks, and Lux shrinks back, clutching Alfonse’s leg. “But…you’re just a mere child!”

Lux frowns, and clutches Alfonse’s leg tighter.

Gustav frowns as well. “I suppose it cannot be helped. If sending a child to war is our only chance to win against Embla…”

Shareena begins to protest, but Queen Henriette puts an arm on her shoulder and shakes her head. “Not now, my dear.”

Alfonse opens his mouth to protest as well, but that’s when Lux runs off, sprinting towards Silas and hiding behind him, staring at Gustav.

“He’s scary.” Lux says, and they look at Silas to see if he agrees.

Silas blinks, and pats Lux’s head. “Yeah, he’s a little bit scary, don’t you think? Bit like Xander, to be honest.”

“Xander isn’t scary! He likes to wear that weird rabbit costume from Easter and fight with a carrot.”

“That’s a different Xander, Lux.”

“Oh.”

Anna gives the discreet order that they’re dismissed, including Lux, and they waste no time hightailing it out of the courtyard.

\---

_“They are like that. One must not hold it against them. Children should always show great forbearance towards grown-up people.”_

_-The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exup_ _éry_


	4. The Inspector (ALEK)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> From one war to another, Alek wonders if they'll ever escape.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been getting back into Papers Please my dudes

Alek is an inspector for the checkpoint between Arstotzka and the rest of the world.

Winter is cold. Their family is starving and ill. So, they work, deny those who do not have the proper paperwork. Approve those who do. Detain the ones who decide to harm the country. The work is methodical, repetitive. Yet, this is the work that keeps them and their family alive. The pay is not good, and yet, it is the only thing keeping them and their family afloat.

The previous inspector fled to Orbistan; they hear from Sergiu. So now Alek is here. Providing for their family. Arstotzka is cold, and Arstotzka is cruel. They are the inspector at the checkpoint. Their job is to deny entry to those who do not have the correct documents, approve the ones that do. Detain the ones wishing harm to Arstotzka and her government.

There is nothing else to it.

\---

**_Passport | /ˈpɑːspɔːt/_ **

_(noun)_

_1 - an official document issued by a government, certifying the holder’s identity and citizenship and entitling them to travel under its protection to and from foreign countries._

_“Alek must process the passports passing through the checkpoint.”_

\---

Alek wakes up on stone, and the first thing they ask is “This is not Arstotzka. Where am I?” And the woman wielding a gun in one hand and an axe in the other stares at them and tells them that her name in Anna, and that they are the Great Hero that Askr needs, summoned by a divine weapon.

“I am no hero.” Alek says, standing up and dusting off their coat, fixing the hat on their head. “I am only an inspector. I work at the checkpoint at the border. I am not aware if I am a hero.”

Anna smiles, and says “You can be a hero, if you believe. Askr is in the middle of a war, and we need your help.”

“From one war to another.” Alek mutters, frowning. “There is no escaping it, is there?”

That’s when a man wielding an axe bursts out of the tree-line, and Alek swears while Anna spins, catching her axe in the attacker’s neck, neatly decapitating him, his head rolling across the floor.

Alek stares at the body, and they say again, following the red- headed lady to their next destination, tucking the divine weapon Anna gave them into the empty holster hidden in their coat, “There is no escaping it, is there?”

\---

They feel the material of the white-gold coat between their fingers, frowning. “This is very thin.” Alek says, having discarded their thick winter coat.

“Well,” Alfonse says, the current prince of Askr and apparently a swordsman, “Askr is rather temperate. What’s your world like?”

Alek furrows their brow, thinking for a minute. “Arstotzka is very cold. Summer is no better. No spring, and no autumn either. Only winter and summer. And my family is poor, so I work every day to make sure I have enough money to pay for heat. And food. And medicine.”

“What kind of people rule your country?!” Alfonse asks, shocked.

“Cruel people, your Majesty. The person who had my job before me fled to Orbistan with his family. I do not think that his actions were stupid at all.”

Alek puts the coat on, the fabric thin, and yet, it is the most high-quality piece of clothing they have worn.

“I have been told I am lucky to be living in Arstotzka. That I am not from Kolechia, or some other country beyond the border checkpoint. I am beginning to think they are wrong.”

\---

_“…out of the Six-Year War shortly before September 1982 and relations between the two countries remain somewhat volatile. A particularly heated subject is the status of the city of Grestin, a border town divided into East Grestin and West Grestin. The western half of the city is Kolechian, while the eastern half is under Arstotzkan jurisdiction. Crossing the border between the two halves had been impossible, even for Arstotzkan citizens, until November 23rd, 1982 when Arstotzka open...”_

_~ The Recent History of Arstotzka by Wladmir Mykolski_

_\---_

“Who runs your country, _malen'kaya printsessa?_ ” Alek asks, ducking under a magical bolt flung from the little princess’s hands. She is small, like their niece. She is small, and she looks young. She looks like she should not be here at all.

But alas, she is here. The little princess of Embla who is called Veronica, fighting in a war she looks too young to be fighting in.

“Shut up!” the little princess screams and Alek is forced to dance away from another bolt. They have not moved this much since starting their job at the border. There is not much room to move in that little booth. However, there is enough room to pull out the rifle and shoot the terrorist that tries to bomb the wall.

There is enough room.

“But who runs your country, _malen'kaya printsessa?_ Who makes sure that your country does not collapse under its own weight?” Alek asks again, and the girl _screams_ at them to stop asking questions, and die in a quiet manner, in a painful manner, in a manner that said _surrender_.

But Alek has lived through Arstotzka’s worse winters, through numerous bombing attacks and guns pointed at them through thick glass, where suicide bombers with packages strapped to them stand before Alek with only glass and a shutter separating the two of them. Alek has survived worse.

So, Alek does not die. Alek keeps getting up, because there is a sister and a niece that they have to come back to, because there is always a new day, because Sergiu and his wife are expecting another child, because the border needs an inspector that can do their job, because, because, _because-!_

A portal opens up behind Alek, someone shouts at them to run through, so they do, and the incident in the World of Radiance comes to a close.

\---

 “Did you ever ask yourself what the other side of war is like?” Alek asks to nobody as they march though the World of Blazing again, but someone does answer their question.

“Sometimes,” Takumi says, eyes downcast, Hinata patting his shoulder in an attempt to calm him, “sometimes, I hear that Nohr’s economy was deader than the dirt we walk on.”

Alek hums, prompting Takumi to continue.

“We went there, when I was travelling with Corrin’s army to unite the two nations of Hoshido and Nohr. Their crops were dying. People were starving in the smaller towns. The city was better, it truly was, but the rural areas…” Takumi trails off, frowning. “I don’t think their king was in the right state of mind.”

Hinata narrows his eyes, and asks “Why do you ask that, Alek-san?”

Alek sighs, wishing for either the cigarette he’d have during the lunch-break at the checkpoint, or good, Arstotzkan vodka. “My country, Arstotzka, was at war with its neighbour for 6 years.”

Hinata makes an audible gulp. “6 years?!”

“Yes. 6 years. And the soldiers who go to Kolechia, that is, our neighbour, will come back and say “You think the situation in Arstotzka is bad? In Kolechia, it is ten times worst.” And they would be right. The inspector that preceded me, he left all his audio transcripts in the booth before fleeing Arstotzka. Many people suffer in Kolechia.” Alek lets out a puff of air, rubbing his fingers together. “So now I wonder. Askr has good economy. Good land. Good soldiers. Many happy families. Askr is a good place. But what about Embla?”

Takumi furrows his brow, and put his hand on his chin, seemingly in deep thought. “Embla’s only royalty that known at the moment is Princess Veronica. If she’s fighting here, then…who’s running the country? Her parents?”

Alek shakes their head. “I asked the siblings. They say that the father and mother are fighting on the front line against their parents.”

“And it’s not a brother.” Hinata says, fiddling with the wraps around their sword hilt. “Because Prince Bruno has been sighted for quite a while now.”

“So then, I wonder,” Alek says, pushing their hands into their pockets. “What is the state of Embla?”

\---

_“Arstotzka_

_Ministry of Admission_

_Official Bulletin_

_Inspector,_

_To facilitate more thorough inspections, a SEARCH scanner system has been installed in your booth._

_Kolechian extremists are suspected in yesterday's bombing._

_Search all Kolechians before approving their entry._

_Glory to Arstotzka.”_

_~ The Official Bulletin from 11/29/1982 sent by the M.O.A_

\---

When Gunnthra dies from the burns that splay like ugly creatures across her back, it is Alek that takes off their hat and hold it against their chest, eyes closed as they mutter words in their native tongue, listening to Fjorm cry against her sister’s dead body.

Alek knows loss, because they have lost their father to war and their mother to sickness, but they cannot say anything.

They can’t. It’s not their place to say. This is Fjorm’s time to mourn.

So, as Fjorm grieves, Alek quietly watches, and considers what their place in the world is.

\---

When Hel comes and storms Askr, Alek stares at the hordes of undead soldiers moving towards them in a single mass, leaded by a man whose rib cage could be seen through a blue, translucent material, and Alek wonders what the world has come to.

“I am Lif.” The man announces, his sword glowing a pale purple, blue hair looking dead. Alek can’t put their finger on it, but the man feels familiar, like an old friend they haven’t seen for a long time, but yet that niggling feeling of _I’ve seen them before_ latches onto that part of the brain and doesn’t let go. “I am the First King of Askr, and now I am Hel’s general.”

“You…have an interesting face.” Alek says, and Anna elbows them with a hissed _“Rude!”_ , but Alek keeps talking.

“I have worked for inspector for a few months. Many times, I have to check between a passport photo and the person themselves.”

There’s a mutter of _“What’s a passport?_ ” But Alek ignores that in favour of staring at Lif, whose eyes now look crazed and confused, like Alek has discovered some big secret of his.

“I am very good at what I do. So, I do not doubt my eyes, which leads me to this point. Why do I feel like we have met before?”

Lif growls, and snarls “We’ve never met, Kiran.”

Alek tilts their head, eyes narrowing. “My name is not Kiran. But that cements an idea for me, general of the dead.”

Lif looks at them, a silent prompt to answer.

Alek smiles, something they have not done for a very long time, and they open their mouth to say:

\---

_“ **INSPECTOR:** Papers please._

_. . ._

**_INSPECTOR:_ ** _You have interesting face._

**_ENTRANT:_ ** _I have nothing to say._

**_INSPECTOR:_ ** _One moment please._

_*Shutter slams closed*_

**_ENTRANT:_ ** _What are you doing?”_

_~ Transcript of when the Inspector identifies and detains_

_a wanted criminal in Papers Please_

\---

“You are Prince Alfonse, no?”

Lif’s hand tightens its grip on his sword, and he visibly shakes as he mutters “I have nothing to say.”

Alek’s smile goes a bit wider, and they tips their hat towards the undead man. “Ah, now how many times have I heard that particular line?”


	5. You'd think it'd end there (MASUMI)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Masumi is 19 and an Ultimate. They should have figured out how to deal with that ages ago.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had like...a whole fan made danganronpa I haven't written if you want...

Honestly, Masumi is 19 and an Ultimate. They should have this figured out by now.

They’re the Ultimate Free Runner, for their own sake, if no one else. Shouldn’t they know, how to run, how to live, how to see tomorrow in a sun that does not mock nor scare them? Oh, but killing games are always dark, and always cold, and they were…dying? No, neither, they were just drowning in their own despair, clawing at their neck, reaching for the surface but never quite reaching it, and _damn_ , it’s suffocating, like a thick, black tar that goes down their throat, choking them and _oh, damn it_!

Honestly, Masumi is 19 and an Ultimate. They should have really figured this out by now.

\---

**_Ultimate | /ˈʌltɪmət/_ **

_(adjective)_

_1 - being or happening at the end of a process; final._

_2 - being the best or most extreme example of its kind._

_“Masumi ~~was~~ is known as the Ultimate Free Runner.”_

\---

When Masumi pushes themselves off the stone floor, legs sore and head pounding, the first thing they notice that they aren’t in the streets in Yokohama anymore.

Hell, they probably aren’t even in _Japan_ anymore.

There’s a lady with red hair standing before them, an axe in one hand and a gun in the other, and lady introduces herself as Anna, the commander of the Askrian Army, and that Masumi is the Great Hero chosen by the divine weapon Breidablik, and with it, they can summon heroes to help in the war effort against Embla.

Masumi blinked, before asking “You’re joking, right?”

Anna shakes her head. “I wish I was.”

Masumi makes a strangled noise of frustration and fear, when a man wielding an axe bursts out of the bushes, shouting at the top of his lungs, an axe held high above his head, ready to swing down onto the two of them.

Anna, unfazed, grips her axe in two hands, a in one smooth motion, neatly decapitates the man, the blood dripping to the floor, splattering against the grey stone and staining the grass from a cheery green to a horrible shade of red.

The head rolls to a stop in front of their feet, bleeding out, and Masumi can’t tell the difference anymore.

Is the blood red, the colour most humans bleed?

Or is it bright pink, staining the world in a colour from a memory long ago?

\---

Masumi pulls off their jacket, tracing their old school symbol that had been printed into the fabric, white against dark grey. They’re staring at it, before turning to the white and gold coat hanging on the wall, waiting for them to slip it on.

It’s weird. They have an entirely new coat, complete with a hood, that they can wear that marks them as part of Askr, as part of their army. It’ll make them belong, and let them feel like that they are really contributing to the effort.

On the other hand, their old jacket has been with them for ages. It’s worn in some places, and there’s a hole in a sleeve, but it smells like lemon scented washing detergent, like grass, like fried fish. It smells like _home_.

In the end, Masumi ties their old jacket around their waist, letting their school symbol be displayed with pride as they shrugs the white and gold coat on, and they leave their room through the window, of course.

\---

Masumi has their weird habits, like everyone else, but theirs seem…practiced. Forced.

They always return to their room when night has truly fallen, and they always lock the door. Every morning, at the same time, they will be sitting by the fountain in the main hall, fiddling with their coat’s sleeves. They never take a bite of food before someone else takes a bite. They always take a look over their shoulder when walking down hallways.

They don’t like meeting up in empty rooms, and always insists on have two or more people with them. They always have their backs towards walls. They note exits first.

All these behaviours, you’d expect on soldiers, on warriors, on assassins and thieves and people who have fought in wars.

Not on people, whose homes have been relatively free of war.

When Ephraim confronts them about their habits, Masumi wrings their hands, and gives a sad sort of smile. “I do that still? I didn’t notice.”

Ephraim frowns, and asks “Why do you have them though?”

“Ah,” Masumi says, leaning on a wall, pressing their back to the stone, watching Ephraim’s eyes and hands. “Well, being in a game where the only way out was to kill someone else can do that to you. It’s been 2 years, and yet that trauma has buried itself deep in me.”

Masumi is silent for a few minutes, taking in how the sun shines on Ephraim’s hair, the coolness of the stone pressing into their back, to how their shoes are scuffed after so much running. Then, they say, quietly, “I wish I didn’t have to check behind by back every time I walk though. I’m still so, so, so paranoid that someone is going to bury a knife in my back.”

\---

_“…of Hope’s Peak Academy, or the Hope's Peak Academy's biggest, most awful event, is the name given to the very first Mutual Killing game that took place in Hope’s Peak Academy. It was caused by Junko Enoshima. Unlike the other killing games, it is directly hosted by both Junko and Mukuro Ikusaba._

_It is not to be confused with The Tragedy, the world-wide event that happened later on, which was triggered by The Tragedy of Hope's Peak Academy. The Tragedy Of Hope's Peak Academy was caused in order to create the…”_

_~ The Dark and Unsettling History of Hope’s Peak Academy by Toko Fukawa_

\---

The portal closes, and Masumi wastes no time in sprinting for the door and wrenching it open, jumping down the stairs 5 at a time as Princess Veronica slings spell after spell, all targeted at one, singular thing.

Them.

Masumi hits the floor of the next level down, rolls, and runs into a room, slamming the door shut as they lean against the wood, panting as they try to catch their breath. There’s a sort of silence that settles over the room, the only sounds being their breath coming in quick, short bursts and the wind that batters relentlessly against the windows, threatening to make the glass give way.

Masumi hasn’t run this much since…since…since…

Since that killing game, when they had to escape from the museum they were locked into and was destroyed by…by-

Stop. Focus on the present, and ignore the past. Masumi can get through this, they just need to _stop._

A gateway opens before them, and a voice whispers _“Run”_ and so Masumi does, jumping into a dive-roll and crashing into a startled Takumi.

There’s a sort of stillness, and Masumi’s eyes are blown wide, muttering over and over again: _“I’m safe, I’m safe, I’m safe…”_

\---

Their phone has been off ever since they entered this world.

There’s no signal, and there’s no internet. For all intents and purposes, it’s dead. It can’t call anyone, it can’t text anyone, and Masumi has stared more at a blank screen then actually doing anything with it.

And yet…Masumi still keeps it on their person, hidden in a pocket, away from prying eyes. They should dispose of it somehow, but they can’t, because it still holds sentimental values.

And also, because their finger always hovers over the call button, knowing that the person on the other side will never answer.

\---

_“[It’s an image of two people in front of a high school, with their arms around each other shoulders. One of them is wearing a jacket with their school symbol emblazoned on the front, while the other is wearing a black vest, with a badge that has the same school symbol on it. Both of them are smiling. There’s also “We made it!” Written in red in the corner of the image.]_

_Caption: Masumi (Ultimate Free Runner, Right) and Hibiki (Ultimate Web Designer, Left) Kawaguchi, pictured before their Orientation at Hope’s Peak Academy. This was their final image together before the Tragedy.”_

_~ The Lives of Hope’s Peak told in Photos, by Mahiru Koizumi_

\---

When Muspell invades, Masumi stares at the fire that slowly eats away at the wood of a village building, and they stare and stare and stare and remember an Ultimate Geologist banging his hands against the sides of a metal box, screaming and wailing that he didn’t mean to kill the other guy, _honest_.

Masumi sets her mouth in a thin line, because they remember the Ultimate Carpenter lying on the ground with their throat slashed and a shard of glass splattered with blood, and they close their eyes, as if that will help them ignore how pink is filling their vision, splattering everything in their sight.

A hand lands on their shoulder, and they jump, before turning to see Hinoka, staring at the flames, fist trembling as she tries her hardest not to cry.

Masumi remembers that Hinoka was from the period that had to watch her family and nation burn to the ground, and Masumi returns to staring at the flames, pretending to not hear the desperate screams of someone locked in a metal box, threatened to be baked alive by the Earth’s core.

\---

When Sutur’s head rolls across the ground, Masumi holds in the urge to scream. Instead, they take several steps back, falling to the ground in the process.

They’re shaking, they’re trying their hardest to breathe again, and they’re expecting a small black and white bear to pop out of nowhere and yell _“A body has been discovered!”_

They’re expecting a class trial, they’re expecting someone to be dragged away to die a horrible death, and there’s pink staining the floor and there’s pink staining their hands and-!

There are hands over their ears, but not theirs because theirs are covering their mouth, so they look behind them to see Blyeth, mouth set in a grim line as his hands cover their ears, subtly nudging them away from Surtur’s head and towards the rest of the forces, saying quietly “Come. There’s no need for you to see this.”

Masumi nods, very quietly, and follows behind.

\---

When Alfonse and Sharena’s father returns from the front lines Masumi doesn’t look them in the eye as they stare at the floor, not meeting the gaze of a father turned king.

(Or is it king turned father? They wouldn’t know.)

The silence is deafening. It’s stifling and suffocating and Masumi feels small. There’s a dandelion growing between the gaps in the paved pathway, swaying ever so slightly in the light breeze, looking very out of place in the middle of a relatively grey pathway.

Much like them. The single person from their realm that doesn’t know what their purpose is, drowning in their own despair, begging, waiting for a release. Whether it be death or just telling someone is up to whoever and whatever, but they can’t even defend themselves, they’re useless, their only ability is to run, run, _run._

They nudge the dandelion with their foot, and watch it bounce back.

Masumi wonder’s how else it could have gone.

\---

Alfonse is slated to die in nine days, and Masumi is suffocating in their room, trying to breathe yet the thick tar in their throat called _depression, anxiety, despair, guilt, pain_ is refusing to let air in, so they hyperventilate, trying their hardest to _breathe_.

Masumi looks out over the city, routes already displaying themselves, showing them where they could run, where they could jump and roll and get up again, so they can run as far as the city limits and back again.

Masumi stares, and makes a decision.

They shed the white-gold coat, pull their dark-grey jacket back on, zipping it back up. They open a window, and drink in the clean night air.

It’s strange, staring up at a sky filled with stars. They don’t get that in Yokohama anymore.

They take a deep breath, plant a foot on the windowsill, push off, twisting into a flip before rolling and they, for the first time since coming into Zenith, into Askr, into a world where burden after burden is piled on them like sandbags, since that time two years ago when the museum collapsed, since the game of mutual killing, since the day they discovered their brother’s body draped over the desk in the lobby, they can _breathe_.

\---

Later, when they return, early in the morning, where people are still sleeping, Masumi picks up their phone, selects a contact, and calls.

It doesn’t connect, because cross-dimensional calls don’t exist, but they start speaking anyway, and the tar in their throat begins to lessen, just enough so that they can breathe again.

“Hey, uh, Reol? Miss Negotiator? It’s me, Masumi. Listen, you are _not_ going to believe what had happened to me, but it’s true. It starts when…”

\---

_"I feel like I'm blocked in on all sides. But that's still not enough reason to give up. Because...! Because I'm still alive! As long as I'm alive, I'll never give up!"_

_~ Makoto Naegi (Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc)_


	6. The Lancer Alchemist (NIKO)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Niko understands the natural laws of their world. It's a shame that Zenith nearly doesn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanna watch Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood again guys.   
> Also this is the longest one I have written, _whoops_

Niko knows the three laws of Equivalent Exchange.

It’s how they lost an arm from the elbow down, and gained an automail one, how they know that their little sister is never coming back from the dead. Mankind cannot gain something without losing something in the process after all.

It’s a fundamental law of nature, one that no body can ignore. Nothing equals the amount of a human soul, it’s just a fundamental law of how the world works, lest the truth shows you why.

Niko used to pride themselves on holding the world up with their own two hands. What a lie that turned out to be.

\---

**_Alchemist | /ˈalkəmɪst/_ **

_(noun)_

_1 – a person who practices alchemy_

_“Niko was known to be a good state alchemist.”_

\---

When Niko wakes up to unfamiliar soil and even more unfamiliar landscapes, they push themselves off the ground and take in their surroundings, their eyes landing on the lady with the reddest hair they have ever seen, wielding a gun in one hand and a large axe in another. She’s staring at them, as if she’s trying to find the right words to say to them.

“My name is Anna, commander of the Askrian Army,” She begins, and Niko stares up at her and then frowns.

“Commander, as in General? Captain? Or are you just the lead of a squadron?” Niko asks, staring at her.

Anna blinks, and says “My official position is general. Why?”

Niko suddenly stands up straight, and pulls into a smooth salute, all straight lines and sharp angles. “State Alchemist Niko Hawthorne, reporting for duty.”

Anna blinks, and says “There will be no need for that. You’re the great hero after all, destined to wield the legendary weapon Breidablik, and assist us in our war against Embla.”

Niko lowers their arm, staring at Anna. “What do you mean by that?”

“It means,” Anna says, pressing Breidablik into Niko’s hands, “You rank above me.”

Then an axeman rushes them from the shadows of the tree line, and Anna hefts her axe, ready to swing, but she pauses when the ground moves beneath her and all the sudden, a spike of stone goes through the man’s jaw and through his brain, sending a spray of blood flying into the air. She turns to see Niko, crouching on the floor, hands pressed to the dirt below, several craters with smaller spikes growing from them.

Niko lifts their hands off the dirt and brushes off their palms, like they just hadn’t killed someone. There’s a look in their eyes as they follow Anna, leading them away from the corpse suspended with stone.

\---

Niko meets Alfonse after a battle, and they can see the trauma that clouds the prince’s eyes, the way he grips his sword a little too tightly. It’s a look Niko knows too well, seeing it one the faces of soldiers that come home from campaigns that have gone on for too long.

Niko decides not to comment on it, just in case.

\---

When they are taken to the castle, and shown the their quarters, they waste no time in exploring, looking at all the materials used in the construction.

Limestone for walls, polished marble for the flooring, bronze used in torch holders, copper for weapon furnishings, quartz in some areas, small amounts of gold in others. Grass and dirt in the gardens, with rough cut stone pathways.

But Niko sees their world in chemical formulas. Calcium Carbonate makes up the walls and floors, the only difference is how it is structured, Copper-Tin alloys make up their torch holders, which in turn is combusting oxygen, among other things, to make carbon dioxide, as well as carbon on it’s own. Quartz is just silicon and oxygen, and everything else just boils down to the 118 elements.

Niko wouldn’t be surprised if there is an Uranium deposit out there.

They tell all of this to Robin one day, and Robin blinks once, twice before going “What do you mean?”

Then Niko stops, and realises that they are the only ones in this world who would understand everything they just said.

\---

_“…act known as **transmutation** and it’s sequence is usually described as follows:_

_1 **.Comprehension** \- Understanding the inherent structure and properties of the atomic or molecular makeup of a particular material to be transmuted, including the flow and balance of potential and kinetic energy within._

_2. **Deconstruction** \- Using energy to break down the physical structure of the identified material into a more malleable state so as to be easily reshaped into a new form._

_3. **Reconstruction** \- Continuing the flow of energy so as to reform the material into a new shape._

_The proper application of this craft requires not only a full understanding of chemistry and ancient alchemical theory, but also a sort of natural talent towards recognizing and manipulating the…”_

_~ The Art of Alchemy: Vol 1, by Tim Marcoh_

\---

The World of Radiance closes, and Niko wastes no time flinging up a wall made of granite  up, crouching behind it as spell after  spell slams against the wall, as Niko tries to think of a way to get out of the situation they’re in.

Veronica coos at him, stalking around the room as they hear the crackle of magic, and Niko shuffles closer to the wall.

It’s only a 10 meter sprint to the door. Reach that, and go from there. Now, the question was _getting_ there. And not dying in the process.

The floor is made of granite. They could make this work. Maybe.

Niko claps their hands together, and presses it against the wall they made, pulling out a lance. It’s heavy, it’s crude, but for Niko, it’ll serve the purpose that they’ll need it to serve.

The next spell shatters their wall, and Niko charges, lance swinging at Veronica. She shrieks, they slam it into her side, and leaving the lance behind, keep sprinting towards the door, just keep going and going until they reach the wooden surface.

Then a portal opens, Niko is pretty sure they’re screaming and the next thing they know, they’re landing face first in the grass of Zenith.

\---

“What are you doing?” someone asks Niko, and Niko looks up from the pile of books they have on the floor, staring up at Reyson, whose wings were awkwardly pressed against their body to avoid knocking books off their shelves. He’s staring at them, eyes boring into their own, and Niko needs to remind themselves that Reyson isn’t a chimera.

“Well,” Niko says, closing their book and putting it back on the shelf behind them. “I’m trying to figure out how all this magic nonsense work.”

“Magic…nonsense?” Reyson asks, brow furrowed. “I thought you could do magic…?”

“It’s not magic, it’s alchemy. That, in itself, is a science. And secondly, _light blessings?_ How does that even _work?”_ Niko complains, picking up their books off the floor, and putting them back on their shelves. “You can’t just _bring back the dead_.”

Reyson frowns. “But, isn’t it a good thing?”

“It’s too good to be true,” Niko says, finally picking up their notebook and stowing it away in their white-gold coat, before leading Reyson away from the stacks of books, and outside of the library. “Mankind cannot gain something without losing something in return. That’s the first law of equivalent exchange.”

Reyson stretches his wings out, flapping them once before letting them settle on his back. “What are you trying to get at…?”

Niko sighs, and pinches the bridge of their nose. “It means that if I were to gain something, I’d have to lose something of equal value in return. So, in that sense, what equates a soul?”

Reyson blinks, and says, “I…I don’t know.”

“My point exactly. You can easily get the elements that _make up_ a human being. That part, that’s easy. It’s the _soul_ that matters, and that, you cannot gain. Which is why human transmutation is taboo among alchemists.”

“Human Transmutation?” Reyson inquires, head tilting to the side. “What do you mean?”

“It’s playing god, to put it simply,” Niko explains, stopping to lean against a pillar. “Anyone who attempts it gets affected by rebound, and that’s never good for anyone.”

Niko is silent for a moment, before whispering quietly, “I should know.”

\---

It’s a battle that reveals the arm that Niko wasn’t actually hiding.

Surtur’s forces invade some poor, village town, and Niko remembers fighting, kicking away one foe whilst they transmute a pillar from the ground to punch an armoured unit into a nearby lake.

Then a lance comes down, and Niko instinctively lifts their automail arm to block the swing. Someone is screaming in the background, and then…

The lance bounces off their arm, Niko scowls, and immediately, they rush the lancer and fuse the boots of their armour to the floor before kicking their jaw.

Later, when the fighting was said and done, and the enemy forces have retreated, Genny rushes to them, followed by a concerned Brady, and Genny immediately yells “Let me see your arm!”

Niko shrugs, and pulls off their glove first, before pulling off their coat, letting their automail arm be displayed to the whole world.

“I’m fine,” they say, smiling with a smug look in their eyes. “My arm isn’t real. Ain’t that great?”

Genny blinks once, twice before screaming.

\---

_“…directly to the nervous system, an automail prosthesis does not usually require an external energy source, and can be moved at will like a natural appendage, taking electrical pulses from the nerves to power and regulate the various electric motors and pneumatic actuators inside. Automail limbs are generally made with a full steel skeletal frame layered with steel armour-plating to protect the various wires and intricate machinery inside; however, contemporary technological…”_

_~ A Beginner’s Guide to Automail by Winry Rockbell_

\---

Niko sits in the middle of the central hall, a pencil in one hand, and their automail arm in their lap. Around them sits sheets of black material, as well as one of the knight’s gauntlets, a pile of random pieces of metal and a bag of…something. They have their tongue sticking out, hair pulled back into a messy bun, tapping their pencil against their leg.

“Hello…” a voice calls out, and Niko looks up to see Tiki, the lonely, fallen child that is, staring at them, bare feet on chilled marble. Her hood is up, and she’s staring at them, unsure if they should come closer.

“Hey,” Niko says, clearing a space next to them and patting it. “Want to sit with me?”

Tiki stares, before nodding, settling down next to them, a respectful distance away. Niko smiles for a moment, before returning to poke around the wires in their arm.

“What are you doing?” Tiki asks quietly after a period of silence, and Niko jumps a bit before explaining.

“You know how out next mission is in Nifil? Well I need to change out my arm to something that won’t give be frostbite.” Niko begins, before gesturing to the black material sitting in a neat pile. “So, I’m going to get carbon fibre, as well as some other things, and try to recreate this arm with different materials.”

Tiki nods, leaning against Niko’s arm as she peers at the items. It’s one of those warm, sunny afternoons, with sunlight pouring through the large ornate windows, creating shapes of light with sharp edges, contrasted to the shadow being casted as well. There’s the quiet gurgling of the fountain, with quiet blue pulse of the funny stone in the corner, the way dust dances in the light, filling the space with a sense of silent comfort.

Tiki, blinks tiredly, and suddenly, she’s leaning against Niko, fast asleep.

Niko, to their credit, smiles, and pats Tiki on the head. She squirms slightly but stays asleep.

Niko continues to reverse engineer their automail, and enjoy the afternoon as it is.

\---

Surtur dies when Niko skewers a lance made from the castle walls through Surtur’s good eye, skewering his brain, and rips it back out, and just like that it’s over.

Niko stares at the corpse, before turning, and walking away, and no, their arms absolutely do not shake.

\---

Lif claims that Hel will restore his world to its former glory, something about killing them will bring back his people, and Niko steps past Alfonse, steps past Sharena, past Anna, past everyone, and plants themselves right in front of Lif, a 2 meter gap between them.

Niko is glaring daggers into Lif’s skull, fists clenched and gaze turned to steel, and Niko says, quietly, but the words resonate in the desolate hall, “You, are a fool if you think bringing the dead back will be that easy.”

Lif growls. “What do you know?”

“The first law of Equivalent Exchange. Mankind cannot gain anything without losing something of equal value in return. That, is the basis of alchemy.” Niko forces out, brow furrowed. “If this Askr is just basically _my_ Askr but it lost against Hel, then it stands to reason you’ve heard me say those words before, _Prince Alfonse_.”

Lif steps back, startled. “How did…”

“How did I figure it out? Well, the evidence can be pretty damning if there is a bloody _Human Transmutation Circle_ in the courtyards.” Niko growls, anger rising. “The only place you could have found that out is from my notes, ones that I had handwritten before I even came here.”

“So tell me Your Majesty,” Niko demands, stepping closer. “Who was worth enough for you to break the taboo among alchemists?”

\---

_“Alchemy, It is the scientific technique of understanding the structure of matter, decomposing it, and then reconstructing it. If performed skilfully, it is even possible to create gold out of lead. However, as it is a science, there are some natural principles in place. Only one thing can be created from something else of a certain mass. This is the Principle of Equivalent Exchange.”_

_~ Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood_

\---

“Tell me Your Majesty,” Niko says through gritted teeth. “What exactly were you going to give up for a single soul?”


	7. The Wielder of Metalbound (AVERY)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Avery knows that they are no great hero, but they do somewhat try.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How many of you like Kingdom Hearts?  
> (Also I feel like this one is the worse...)

Avery is aware of their circumstances. Just a Keyblade wielder, not a master. No recent achievements, no reason to try and save the world when you’re…well.

Retired, as one may call it. Heart still strong but trauma is still rampant in their mind, tearing away at whatever’s left in order to cause as much chaos as possible. It eats away at their heart and soul, whispering how they have achieved nothing by hiding out on some long forgotten world in the corner of the universe, too afraid to leave and see everything else. See if the rumours of the brown haired kid with the Kingdom Key is true.

It would have been nice though. To go see the lanes between worlds once more.

\---

**_Soul | /səʊl/_ **

_(noun)_

_1 – the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal, regarded as immortal._

_2 – emotional  or intellectual energy or intensity, especially as revealed in a work of art or an artistic performance._

_3 – the essence or embodiment of a specified quality._

_“Avery knew, deep within their soul, that they were meant to be dead. Deep in their heart they knew that weren’t allowed to be.”_

\---

They wake up on cold stone, and their fingers immediately flex as their Keyblade appears in their hands, and they spin the weapon in their hand, the object light in their hands as they stand, ready for battle, a _thundaga_ ready to spill from their lips

Before Avery stands a red-headed lady, wielding an axe in one hand and a gun in the other, staring at them, and Avery dismisses their Keyblade, letting it fade away in a shower of lights, before standing up straight.

The red-headed lady blinks, before smiling. “Hello! My name is Anna, the commander for the Askrian Army, and I have called you, Great Hero, to assist us in our war against Embla.”

Avery stares, before putting  hand out. “Avery. Keyblade Wielder, although if you’re looking for a great hero you probably missed.”

Anna blinks, and replies “But the legendary weapon chose _you_.”

Avery opens their mouth to retort, but that’s when an axeman comes out of the bushes, charging straight for the two of them. Avery has a spell at their lips, but Anna beats them to it by slicing the man’s head off in one, clean strike.

Whilst others might of concentrated on the blood spurting from the severed stump that used to the man’s neck, the way his body crumples to the floor, the way the head rolls to a complete stop, staring with wide eyes at their killer, Avery can only concentrate on the pink, glowing heart, rising up from the corpse, spinning as it breaks and shatters into a shower of fragments, melting away in the breeze.

Avery turns to follow Anna, hands clenched into fists.

\---

They meet the Prince named Alfonse and they immediately notice that the Prince’s heart has this layer of darkness that slowly consumes him like a disease, and they frown, but don’t comment on it.

Avery isn’t a stranger to darkness, and Alfonse doesn’t seem like he’ll fall to darkness anytime soon, so they keep quiet.

\---

They arrive at the castle, and Avery pulls themselves away from Sharena, Askr’s princess, whose heart had so much light it was overwhelming, and begins to explore the castle grounds.

A swing around a pole followed by kicking off a wall lands them on the top of the barracks, and they balance themselves on the edge, arms out as they walk across. It’s a quiet sort of evening, most people are either in the dining hall, in the library, or sitting in the very barracks Avery was on top of.

Someone down below yells _“Summoner?”_ and Avery peers down to see Takumi, the first person they summoned on accident, staring up at them, his bow slung over a shoulder.

Avery waves and says “Is something wrong?”

Takumi blinks, and replies “Can I join you?”

Avery blinks, then chuckles, smiling. “Sure. If you can get up here, that is.”

\---

_“Flowmotion allows the user to interact with their environment in order to traverse to new areas or attack foes with fluidity and momentum. Using Flowmotion, the user can gain extreme vertical height, move around their environment faster, grind on rails and other similar surfaces as well as dynamically attacking foes._

_However, Flowmotion takes time to master, and is liable to many problems. Injuries such as broken bones and concussions are common for beginners, and proper steps must be taken in order to avoid such injuries. People who have mastered Flowmotion include…”_

_~ A Guide to Flowmotion and Dynamic Movement by Jiminy Cricket_

\---

A gateway out of the World of Radiance closes, and Avery curses, casting _Reflera_ to bounce back a lightning bolt slung from Princess Veronica’s hands, and it ricochets off, blowing up a crate. Veronica snarls, and she hurls spell after spell at Avery, and Avery kicks off a wall and summons their Keyblade, batting away spells as they slam through a door and jump down the stairs.

There’s a window on the end of the corridor, so it’s a fairly simple smash through and jump out, and they need open space to open up the lanes between worlds, so they just need to _jump!_

A _Firaga_ is launched at the window, followed by Avery smashing through and going into a freefall, and they twist their body to aim their Keyblade at the ground, the familiar feeling of the Keyblade armour forming around them, then the lanes open, and they fall through.

The Keyblade becomes a glider, and they stop in the middle of the lanes between worlds, and there was Askr, sitting pretty, with all lanes eventually converging into the one world. It’s a breathtaking sight, as well as a worrying sight, and Avery makes their way to Askr, letting the armour melt away as they land in the middle of the square, and are immediately tackled by Sharena, and Avery sucks in a breath through their teeth and hope that the scratches they got from smashing trough a glass window aren’t noticeable.

\---

“Can you tell me about your world?” Alfonse asks, and Avery stares for a minutes, knowing that they literally, absolutely, cannot tell Alfonse about their world.

World Order needed to be maintained after all.

“I…can’t.” Avery replies, squirming under Alfonse’s gaze.

“You can’t? Or you won’t?” Alfonse says, frowning, and by the Light, Avery knows the pain of trying to sate curiosity, but duty and protocols should come first.

“I can’t,” Avery reaffirms, exhaling through their nose. “The borders between your world and all the other worlds we have visited have already weakened, which is why the Tempests are opening up in the fabric of space-time. By opening portals to other worlds, or displacing heroes from their original worlds into this new one, the borders are continuing to weaken. The very nature of your world, with the multiple lanes that you and your sister can access without penalty, is already incredibly dangerous. One small misstep, and your world could potentially collapse in on itself.”

Alfonse frowns, and he opens his mouth to protest but Avery silences him with a look.

“I don’t blame your curiosity. I don’t blame your sister’s desire to meet new heroes from other worlds.” Avery says gently, as if they’re talking to someone younger. “But you must understand that this world’s heart may one day shatter and break, and one day, this world will fall to darkness. I don’t want to see any more people in Traverse Town, you know?”

“Traverse Town?” Alfonse asks, and Avery shakes their head.

“A story for another time,” Avery says, and then their gaze hardens like steel, and they continue to say, “But back to my original point. This world could collapse in on itself, because you and your sister keep opening new lanes to new worlds, and when there is too much strain, it’ll collapse in on itself, and drag the other worlds you have connected with it.”

Avery pauses, and wrings their hands together, staring at the sky, and how they remember someone saying how they were all under one big great sky. “Please remember, Prince Alfonse,” They begin, lowering their gaze to meet Alfonse’s, “That you and your sister’s actions have consequences. Please be aware of this.”

\---

There’s a taste of iron in their mouth as they spit blood onto the ground, clutching at the wound that has left a large, gaping tear in their side. Blood is gushing out, pouring past their fingers in little rivulets, and Avery can barely keep conscious that they summon their Keyblade.

Cure magic has never been their strong point, seeing as their Keyblade that’s known as _Metalbound_ has always been better at more offensive spells, but Avery can pull it off.

 _“Curaga_ ” is whispered from bloodstained lips, and flesh and muscle knits back together, arteries and veins reconnecting, skin stitching back together, until all that is left is a scar, a thin white line, as well as coat that has turned red from the blood that had soaked it.

Avery gazes at the dead solider from Muspell that they killed with a _Thundaga_ , and they stare at the corpse for a very long time until Maria finds then, her staff in hand as she wonders why Avery is by themselves.

\---

_“…power seems to be at least vaguely related to intelligence. Unlike fighting, which seems to be able to be mastered by practice alone, it appears that Magic must be taught, learned, and studied. Magic-heavy strategies considered to be among the more difficult to use effectively, largely due to the attention that must be paid to elemental differentiation, as some enemies will not be harmed and may even be healed when attacked by certain elements, and the clear limitation imposed by possessing a finite amount of…”_

_~The Core Elements of Magic by Merlin_

\---

Surtur dies when a sword swings through his neck and his head falls, and Avery stares at the heart that leaves the Flame King’s body, pulsating with a strange darkness that melts away.

\---

When Hel invades Askr, the dead pouring out in waves, Avery can only think of a Nobody, someone with no heart, but still had a body and a soul. But the dead here are only bodies, animated by magic, jerking left and right, with dead eyes and deader gazes.

Avery burns the corpses with Liliana, and they try to block out the smell of burning flesh, closing their eyes in an attempt to do so.

\---

The last king of Askr who calls themselves Lif, but really is Alfonse after his Askr was destroyed, is growling, and Avery wouldn’t be surprised if Heartless began to spring out of the ground, twitching with power. Avery knows that Lif’s heart would have fallen to darkness long, long ago, if they had one, that is.

Lif, right before them, is a Nobody, with no heart, and only a soul to animate a body. A Nobody leashed by magic, and Avery is curious how Hel managed to achieve that without the access to darkness or Keyblade.

“In order to restore my Askr,” Lif says, and Avery can feel a fight coming, and the Heroes do to, if they all grab their weapons just a little bit tighter, “I will need to claim the lives of your Askr.”

Avery narrows their eyes, and asks “But what caused your people to go extinct in the first place?”

Lif tells them of his sacrifice, a beating heart that could defeat Hel, but it claimed the lives of his citizens with every pump, until only he was left.

And Avery, suddenly, knows exactly what Lif has done.

Lukas places a grounding hand on their shoulder as Avery starts to hyperventilate, and Robin is placing her hand at the small of their back and telling them to _breathe_.

Avery sucks in one, slow breath, and centres themselves, clutching _Metalbound_ tighter in their hands. Lif did a very, very terrible thing, but right now, it’s no point getting mad about it. The only thing to do now is find the world’s keyhole and lock it before more damage can be done.

Avery stands up straight, and points _Metalbound_ at Lif, snarling. “I might not be the best tactician here, but I want to believe that my heart is stronger than yours have ever been, and I will never, _never_ give in to someone like _you._ ”

\---

_“That’s not true! The heart may be weak and sometimes it may even give in. But I’ve learned that deep down, there’s a light that never goes out!”_

_~ Sora, Kingdom Hearts_

\---

They meet Lif again, and Avery is calm now, ready to explain what Lif’s actions has cost him.

“You unlocked your world’s Keyhole, right?” Avery says, eyes harder than steel. “And, not knowing the consequences, your world crumbled, but you, out of everyone else, managed to survive.”

Lif scowls. “Quit your chattering, Summoner.”

Avery does not quit their chattering. “You’re supposed to end up in Traverse Town, where the refugees of crumbled words end up, but you didn’t. Somehow, you didn’t, and instead Hel took you and placed you in this world, and claimed that if you killed us, you would get your people back. I’m sorry to say that will not work.”

Lif is trembling with rage now, hand grasping his sword handle. “I suggest you stop talking, _now_.”

“I will not.” Avery says, and _Metalbound_ appears in their hands in a shower of sparks and screeching steel. “This isn’t your world _Alfonse_. Your world crumbled years ago due to your actions, and you are never, _never_ getting it back.”

 


	8. You can place dreams within dreams, right? (ALL MENTIONED SUMMONERS)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our 7 summoners are locked within nightmares, as the curtain of a new act falls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Latest book dropped and I was hoping for Svartalfheim but sometimes I don't get what I want. Also, because the latest book dropped, I'm legally required to do this. All summoners up to chapter 7 are mentioned.
> 
> (It is Alfhiem, I was just expecting...I dunno, more cats?)

**_Fairy | /ˈfɛːri/_ **

_(noun)_

_1 - a small imaginary being of human form that has magical powers, especially a female one._

_“A fairy does not take kindly to outsiders.”_

\---

Three steps in and Kiran already knows that this is a nightmare. There’s an old god that lives beneath their skin after all, the one that filled the gaps in the darkness, the one what the shadows call their leader. They know it’s a nightmare, because nightmares are what they are made of if one knew where to look.

The darkness consumes all things, but Kiran knows that they have lived this before. They take a few more steps, and plan to destroy this dreaming world with their own hands, whether people like it or not.

\---

Eclat peers at their surroundings, all dead trees and polluted water, and comes to the conclusion that where they are is probably not real.

The grass doesn’t feel right, the sky looks wrong. Trees aren’t where they are meant to be, Celebi’s voice is _missing_ , there’s no sound, no sound at all. Eclat shifts forms, all long legs and purple mane, and leaps into the lake, hoping to find answers within the depths.

\---

Lux is very scared.

There’s fire burning everywhere, consuming the plant life and the bush around them, red flowers of flames and heat bursting around them. It’s a bushfire, and Lux doesn’t know what to do, because all the lessons that the local fire station taught them and their class on a summer afternoon are being forgotten, replaced  by sheer _terror_ as he runs through the flames, crawling under logs and hopping over large branches until they hit the edge of a river.

The current is strong, and Lux cannot swim. Lux turns to see the fire coming closer, and the smoke is choking them until they are gagging.

The current is strong. Lux cannot swim. The fire comes ever so closer as Lux collapses from smoke inhalation.

\---

Alek is back in the inspector’s booth. They are processing a woman’s passport before the shutter slams shut. They take a step back before turning to the screen showing the border wall outside.

There is a bike. There are explosives. The wall crumbles, and a swarm of people rush into the country, and Alek’s breathing hitches as they stare at the people coming, seeing several coming towards the inspector’s booth.

Alek locks the doors, and they quietly sit in their chair, pulling the rifle from it’s safe.

They have 3 bullets. There are people pounding on the cold steel doors. They have 3 bullets. The pound is becoming louder and Alek has not reinforced the door.

They have 3 bullets. Only 2 will be used for the terrorists. 

\---

Masumi is back in the museum, and they tense up, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

They’re in the section filled with ancient Japanese history. There’s glass shattered all around them. Their hands are stained pink.

The corpse of the Ultimate Carpenter lays before them, and Masumi is panicking, because they know they didn’t kill them so why are they there? Why are their hand stained pink? Why, why, _why?_

The body discovery announcement calls, and Masumi remembers nothing but a trial and the sickening crunch of their body against the pavement.

Over and over _and over and over and OVER AND OVER-_

\---

Niko wakes up in a white, featureless void with nothing but a grinning god before them, and they don’t know why they are here.

There is nothing. Only a great stone door, the grinning god calling themselves the Truth and Niko, existing only to see a stark white truth that can burn over any distance, searing itself into their memory like a brand.

There is nothing, except Niko, a great stone door, a grinning god and the white void that croons the truth to them like a slow whisper, coiling and waiting to strike.

\---

Avery knows what this is. They’ve done this before. The dreaming worlds are no joke, so they slash away at the nightmares, their dream eater beside them.

They will _shatter_ this world they are trapped in. It is a Keyblade wielder’s duty to guard the worlds and the borders between them, so they will break out of this dream no matter what the cost might be. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, a light elf isn't a fairy Instys couldn't you do at least a shred of re-  
>  _(The following text has been removed due to...uh...errors. Yeah lets call it that.)_

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on Tumblr [here](https://pkmn-trainer44.tumblr.com/) and [here!](https://kayoiwritingarchivies.tumblr.com/)


End file.
